Got my first V8 :)

[Franco Cozzo]

Hey guys, I've just purchased another project car, this one is a little left of field and I've made the jump to "The General":













Its got a Detroit Diesel 6.5L turbo V8 under the hood (which I hear is crap), twin 160A alternators and a 3 battery setup. Man this thing sounds TOUGH, imagine 50 people with milo tins full of bolts shaking them up and down at once, thats pretty much a diesel V8.

I'm looking at either converting it into a camper van, or ripping off the rear box body and chucking a steel tray on the back.

Unfortunately, the rear of the cab seems to have been cut into. There is a little hole so you can see through the rear of the box body, what would be involved in putting a rear wind screen in there instead if I decide to ditch the box body?

I'm also a P plater, and going by the Victorian P plate laws I'm unable to drive it, because its a "high powered vehicle" so I'm going to try for an exemption.

Does anyone have any experience with these GMC trucks? I think its a 3500 model?

[Pepscobra]

Cool truck!
Perfect start for a camper van for sure, all the hard work is already done.

[Franco Cozzo]

It came into our workshop for some Aircon work, and loving American utes I thought I'd check it out, interior looks to be in mint condition.

I had a look in the back, I'm looking at removing the stretcher base, the two seats and some of the cabinets, but it looks like the cabinets are moulded into the wall of the box body, as it looks a bit narrow how it is now for a bed, couch and TV

It used to be a Victorian ambulance, then a training company bought it off Ambulance Victoria, had a new box body chucked on the rear of it and kitted out to train up paramedics and patient transport officers, they tell me it only gets used a few times a year, it sits in their workshop looking all shiny.

I'm waiting on an older model Sprinter ambulance in our workshop to be decommissioned, then I can take delivery of my new truck as they need to have two vehicles in the shop at all times.

[IceValk85]

because its a diesel you could already be exempt...

you would be in QLD anyway

Ice

[Anthony9five]

That is so cool. Good luck with it

[mik]

looks good mate, should make an excellent camper, you`ll need that big diesel in it these things are pretty weighty,, just take it easy in the corners and you`ll be laughing.

[Yellow_Festiva]

I was thinking cool camper before you said it ;) I would look at leaving as much seating in the back as possible, would the compliance allow it to remain a 3 or 4 seater if it becomes a camper? Could be useful down the track when going away with some mates or selling.

Very nice rig. Before you start hacking think of how you can utilise the setup as is, especially of the walls and fixtures are all moulded as one.

[FGII-XR6]

same in NSW as diesels aren't capable of massive acceleration like high powered petrol engines they are considered P plate suitable

Originally Posted by IceValk85

because its a diesel you could already be exempt...

you would be in QLD anyway

Ice

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by IceValk85

because its a diesel you could already be exempt...

you would be in QLD anyway

Ice

Unfortunately in Victoria there is a blanket ban on V8s regardless if its petrol or diesel, IIRC F250s are specifically on the banned list with the 5.4 and 7.3.

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

I was thinking cool camper before you said it ;) I would look at leaving as much seating in the back as possible, would the compliance allow it to remain a 3 or 4 seater if it becomes a camper? Could be useful down the track when going away with some mates or selling.

Very nice rig. Before you start hacking think of how you can utilise the setup as is, especially of the walls and fixtures are all moulded as one.

Thanks

Unsure if I'm actually allowed to seat people in the back as it is while driving, as I think its probably an exemption for government purpose, but I'll find out. They have seat belts so I don't see why not.

Hopefully I can just leave the registration and compliance as it is when its converted into a camper and have it as a 4 seater.

I'll grab a stretcher bed from work and then we can seat 5, LOL.

The only problem with utilising what is there with cabinets I think it leaves it too narrow, I'll have to have a better look.

What are the essentials you would have in a camper van?

Also I think these things are non intercooled, might have to sort that out as thats pretty pox.

[WMD351]

Wow that's a lottsa truck!

Originally Posted by Big Damo

Also I think these things are non intercooled, might have to sort that out as thats pretty pox.

Maybe, but then again they're probably set up to take a fair thrashing as it is?

Make a great mobile meth lab Breaking Bad style lol.

[Franco Cozzo]

I'd have preferred an ex ambo F250 but for the price I got this for, I can't really complain.

The F250s are another $10K+ on top, but they've got the much better 7.3, these 6.5s are old school diesel tech, GM's first electronic indirect injection system.

On the upside, injectors are cheap

[Russ]

Originally Posted by au3xr6

same in NSW as diesels aren't capable of massive acceleration like high powered petrol engines they are considered P plate suitable

Have you driven some of the newer diesels at all, they have pretty impressive acceleration.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by Russ

Have you driven some of the newer diesels at all, they have pretty impressive acceleration.

There was a well known public figure (may have been a racing car driver?) in Europe who got done for speeding several years ago. One of his punishments was to be restricted to a diesel car... So he went out and bought the top of the line diesel Audi or Beemer that was almost as quick as the high performance petrol cars he was used to driving.

[Russ]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

There was a well known public figure (may have been a racing car driver?) in Europe who got done for speeding several years ago. One of his punishments was to be restricted to a diesel car... So he went out and bought the top of the line diesel Audi or Beemer that was almost as quick as the high performance petrol cars he was used to driving.

Exactly my point

[Franco Cozzo]

http://www.colacambulance.com/rav%20gmc.htm

There is a bit of background information on them

[FGX-351]

Man that thing is cool, your going to have a blast in it!

[Franco Cozzo]

She's in the shop again for an issue with a sulfur smell when driving around, I reckon crook battery or alternators are overcharging them.

Some more photos:









Some quick dodgy photos, it has this odd belt setup, it has two serpentine belts, one runs just the compressor, the other run everything else.

[In Focus]

How many vehicles you got, Damo?

[smoo]

That's awesome. When I was flatting 4 of us considered pitching in for one as a MX bike hauler/**** cruiser.

There are still a few over here doing the rounds. All of ours were petrol. Earlier ones were the 5.7s, then 5.3s and the latest are the 6.0s. Way cooler then the Sprinters and sound 100 times better. Was talking to one of the mechanics a few years back who said they do 500k no worries

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by In Focus

How many vehicles you got, Damo?

2009 WS Fiesta
2010 LV Focus
1997 EL Fairmont Ghia
2001 GMC Sierra 3500

Another and I'll have one for each day of the working week.

In our driveway also resides a 1999 WF Festiva and a 2003 Mazda 323, so 6 cars.

VicRoads should have a big photo of me up on their wall in all their offices, its either that or I should have priority over everyone else when waiting in line, lol.

When it gets decomissioned I'm going to lose all the flashing red lights and the light bar, and probably the stuff to do with the oxygen bottles.

I want to keep the stripes, because I don't want any apprentices coming near the thing with razor blades in hand to peel them off, they tend to peel off paint 99% of the time.



Wow they look great, the light bar integrated with the box body on the back looks better than mine with it sitting on top of that bubble thing.

[Russ]

Do they have oxygen sensors on these ? If so if one of them is crook they can cause a pretty foul odour too :(

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Russ

Do they have oxygen sensors on these ? If so if one of them is crook they can cause a pretty foul odour too :(

Unsure, I'll have to check it out when I take delivery.

The best thing is they've included roady in the price I paid, so if it fails on something they'll fix it haha.

The steering is a bit vague on it though, there is a bit of freeplay, with it sitting in the workshop turned off, you can turn the wheel easily 1/4 of a turn either direction before you hit resistance.

The seats are awesome, designed for fat ****** like me.

It weighs 4082kg and has the aerodynamics of a sumo wrestler, hopefully that plays to my advantage for exemption reasons

Working on Sprinters, they seem to have more room length wise, but these things are much wider.

Plus something with a 6.5L diesel V8 has a hell of a lot more torque than some German diesel 4 cyl **** in something which weighs maybe 500kg less with SCR and DPF systems.

Photo of the twin alternators and turbo

[ebxr8240]

A new Chev badge on the grill and you have a rocket..
How hard would it be to fit dual wheels on back ??
Its a cruiser it never will be anything else !!
Upping boost helps but don't get carried away..
Same with better exhaust ..

I'm fitting a cheap water to air intercooler on my Fuso bus / motorhome..

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by ebxr8240

A new Chev badge on the grill and you have a rocket..
How hard would it be to fit dual wheels on back ??
Its a cruiser it never will be anything else !!
Upping boost helps but don't get carried away..
Same with better exhaust ..

The best thing is I actually have a genuine excuse for a bowtie or GMC badge .

Its non intercooled and these engines are pretty fragile when it comes to boost, they have a habit of blowing head gaskets or over heating. I think they run 12 psi standard, which I'm going to leave it at.

Maybe bigger exhaust down the track and an intercooler

[mik]

something i found in my old f series ambo, probably will be the same with yours i suspect, a big esky wedges just nicely between the buckets......... ideal for those long trips holding the refreshments ;).

[302 XC]

Originally Posted by au3xr6

same in NSW as diesels aren't capable of massive acceleration like high powered petrol engines they are considered P plate suitable

Turbo diesels 6s are P plate freindly, theres some seriously tuff turbo diesel patrols in P plater hands
One i know of runs 15 PSI boost,intercooled and puts down 400 nm at the wheels,and yep all legal on P plate
For a 3 tonne barge this thing goes real quick

[V3RSAC3]

Wow, absolutely beautiful Damo! I would love to one day get my hands on one of these! Keep us posted!

PS. Does the light bar work?

[_Ben]

So... does it skid? :P

This would make an awesome party van, put some crazy sound system in it!

[xxx000]

love the sound these things make, can't beat a large capacity diesel for that

pretty cool

[Dauphin]

Very nice!! What a unique vehicle to have!

Any chance of an exhaust video?